ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Now finally healthy, Friar sharpshooter making up for lost time

When Sean McCurdy transferred to St. Anthony of Jersey City from St. Joseph Prep in Trumbull, Conn. last year, he was expecting to have an immediate impact with the fabulous Friars as a sophomore.

There was only one problem: McCurdy’s health.

He had to miss the beginning of the 2002-03 season due to patella tendonitis and bone chips in his knee. He battled a series of other illnesses and injuries that read like a medical journal.

“I had torn ligaments in my ankle,” McCurdy explained. “So I wasn’t able to play AAU ball. Then, while at Rutgers camp, I had a concussion and had a strain in my neck. I then went to Five Star Camp (in Pennsylvania) in July and I tore an abdominal muscle.”

That’s enough injury to encompass one’s entire career. For McCurdy, it was all within a calendar year, all after he decided to come to St. Anthony.

“It was very frustrating, especially since I wanted to prove what I could do here,” McCurdy said. “I was never 100 percent. I probably was more like 75 percent the whole year. When I came back, I probably came back too soon.”

“He missed almost all of last year,” legendary St. Anthony head coach Bob Hurley said of McCurdy. “He never really got into a rhythm with us at all.”

While McCurdy did manage to play in about a dozen games for the Friars last season, he definitely never got to display his immense ability, especially as a pure shooter. There were flashes here and there, but never any level of consistency.

Needless to say, when the 2003-04 campaign began, McCurdy was going to make sure he was more than ready. Finally, he was healthy, which was the first obstacle.

“Knock on wood,” McCurdy said. “It felt good to be 100 percent healthy.”

The 6-1 junior has been playing his best basketball for the Friars of late, averaging close to 18 points per game over the last three weeks, including a 27-point explosion against the Hun School last Wednesday.

“That was his best high school game by far,” Hurley said. “He scored 13 straight points for us during one stretch and had 20 points by the half.”

There’s a reason for the McCurdy outburst, thanks to the sharp eye of Hurley.

“I think the reason why he’s shooting better now is because he’s shooting less,” Hurley said. “Sean grew up with a routine of shooting like 300 shots a day. After practice, after games, he would go and shoot his 300 shots. But I felt he had a little hitch in his shot. So with that hitch, he would go and shoot and that would reinforce his bad habits. He would drift a little left. So we told him to stop shooting. We worked on his form, and now, he’s only allowed to shoot during practice.”

The move breaks all prior conventional wisdom. There are legendary tales, like the one of Bill Bradley in his famed book, “Life on the Run,” in which the former U.S. Senator and Knick great shot 1,000 shots a day in a Missouri schoolyard to improve his shot. Other pure shooters like Calvin Murphy and Rick Barry have also gone on the record to say that they consistently fired up shot after shot to improve their range.

“For this particular kid, that didn’t work,” Hurley said. “If you have a glitch or a flaw and you continue to shoot with that glitch, it only makes things worse. When he’s shooting less, it’s easier to correct. You make a little adjustment and work on it during shooting practice.”

The move has certainly worked, because McCurdy has been lights out ever since the correction was made. “He has such a great stroke,” Hurley said. “He’s in a good rhythm now.”

Healthy and shooting well. Seems like life is fine for McCurdy, who is averaging 14 points per game for the undefeated and No. 2-nationally ranked Friars.

For his efforts, McCurdy has been named The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.

McCurdy said that he was always influenced by his father, Bob, who was the leading scorer in the nation for the University of Richmond, scoring 32.9 points per game, in 1974-75.

“My father always told me to get in as many shots as possible,” McCurdy said. “So when Coach Hurley told me that I shouldn’t shoot at all, I was a little shocked. He worked on my technique, then told me not to shoot. Well, I guess it’s paying off, because my shot is falling. I know I need as much rest as possible.”

When McCurdy was growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut, he was considered more of a point guard than a shooting guard.

“I really could never shoot that well,” McCurdy said. “People would look for me to make the spectacular move and then ask me to pass. But I was more of a point guard and a playmaker.”

Now, he’s considered a fine pure shooter, with other skills as well.

“He’s become real strong, probably our strongest kid,” Hurley said. “He’s also become a good defender. He’s guarding kids that are much bigger, 6-3, 6-4, and he’s able to contain them and keep them off the backboard. He’s finally playing like a junior in high school. He’s growing up.”

“I always thought my weakest link was my defense,” McCurdy said. “Where I came from in Connecticut, we didn’t play defense like we do here. I used to always guard the weakest guy, but now, Coach Hurley is putting me on the best player, and that’s a major confidence boost for me.”

Although McCurdy has now developed and established himself as a fine perimeter shooter, he believes that he will become a point guard on the college level.

“I want to play the point in college,” McCurdy said.

“He doesn’t get a chance to play the point with us, but he’s demonstrated that is what he’d like to do,” Hurley said. “I think down the road people will see Sean play the point in college and his shot will set up a lot of the plays. No question, he’ll play. He’s already getting a lot of recruiting attention.”

One of the players McCurdy is most compared to is Marquette point guard Travis Diener. Ironically, Marquette is one of the schools that have already shown interest in McCurdy.

“I wouldn’t mind that comparison,” McCurdy said. “I like it that they’re recruiting me already.”

So after enduring a tough year, Sean McCurdy has finally arrived.

“I definitely feel like I’m playing the way I thought I could,” McCurdy said. “I always think that this has just been a preview of what I can really do. It feels good to be strong and healthy and being able to contribute. Last year was so tough for me. I didn’t do anything. When I play, I want to be able to contribute.”

As long as McCurdy keeps making shots, defending like his life depends upon it and staying away from the extra shooting, he’s going to more than contribute. McCurdy will lead – and guide the Friars to perhaps another NJSIAA state title. – Jim Hague